A variety of granulated or otherwise free-flow particulate products are typically packaged and sold in flexible bags, including products such as bird seed, fertilizer, pet food, and the like. To promote efficient packaging of such products, automated weighing and dispensing machines are typically employed, with such machines being operated by positioning one of the bags in the dispensing machine, while the bag is held in a generally vertical orientation. Thereafter, the bag is opened by separation of the front and rear walls thereof, and free-flow product dispensed into the bag. The bag is thereafter released from the dispensing machine for subsequent movement to a suitable sealing apparatus, and the filling cycle repeated.
As will be recognized by those familiar with the art, any reduction in the time required for effecting positioning, opening, and filling of each of the flexible bags can greatly enhance the efficiency with which such equipment is operated. The present invention is directed to a method of filling bags with automated filling equipment which has been found to very desirably increase the efficiency with which such equipment can be operated by shortening the cycle during which each bag is positioned in the equipment and subsequently filled.